True Costs of a DUI Charge

A DUI charge comes with
some of the most damaging penalties of any crime where most offenders actually
serve relatively little jail time. The
serious penalties of DUI are partly in effect as a means of highly discouraging this activity. For people actually aware of
the true, all-inclusive cost of a DUI charge, the argument is more than
convincing. For example, studies have
revealed that for individuals arrested for driving under the influence, without
causing a DUI accident or injuring another, the costs associated with the dui criminal charge will tab-out at an average of well over $10,000. Considering that most DUI charges are
misdemeanor arrests, which are entirely avoidable through the negligible
expense of finding a cab or getting a ride, the cost of a DUI charge is really
never worth it. Sadly, however, the
Federal Bureau of Investigation notes that 1.37 million drivers were charged
with DUI convictions in the last year alone.

Initial
Expenses after an Arrest

The first expenses
associated with a DUI arrest begin with the car towing fees following being
arrested. Drivers can expect, depending
on the jurisdiction, to face towing and impound expenses ranging from a few
hundred dollars all the way to over $1,000 dollars in some municipalities
seeing a revenue raising opportunity.
Additionally, DUI is a criminal charge that requires booking, holding,
and incarceration until arraignment.
Therefore, individuals may have to post bail before being released from
police custody pending trial. The
average cost of bail depends on the specific charge, as well as the location of
the arrest. However, these costs generally
run drivers between $500 dollars all the way up to $2,500 dollars or more.

Increased
Insurance Costs

Outside of legal and
logistical issues, people arrested for DUI now face greater scrutiny, and more
financial punishment, from their insurance companies. Often, many insurance companies will simply
drop drivers following a DUI arrest, regardless of conviction. It’s just not worth the risk to them. However, in the event a carrier does elect to
keep you on their coverage list, the raised premiums, which will last at least
three to five years, can end up costing drivers nearly $1,500 dollars annually.
Then, there is the question of the impending legal issues, the actual criminal
proceedings regarding a DUI case. DUI
legal fees can run from $1,000 to $20,000 depending on the specifics of the
case and if there is a DWI trial. In many
instances, hiring private investigators and expert witnesses to assess the case
may actually end up costing more than the attorney’s fees themselves. The cost
of an attorney is negligible in the grand scheme, and a knowledgeable attorney
can be a vital ally throughout the entire process.

Post
Trial Fines, Fees and other Expenses

Then, depending on the
outcome of the case, convicted individuals will face court mandated fines for
the arrest, which depending on the state of arrest, can amount to hundreds and potentially
thousands of dollars. There are the
litany of fees associated with reinstating a license and meeting probation
terms, including costs of alcohol and substance abuse evaluation, as well as if
deemed necessary, mandatory alcohol and drug treatment, which can cost the
average person several thousand dollars. Then, there are the random fees
imposed by the state and local government, which can add up to hundreds of dollars.

Other
Costly Considerations

All of these quantifiable
expenses don’t even take account of issues that people will undoubtedly face
following a DUI arrest. For many
individuals, the loss of driving privileges may cause them to outright lose
their job, or be unable to commute to their employment. In other cases, a DUI arrest immediately
causes the loss of a professional license. Then, there is the loss of time
associated with coping with legal fallout as well. All in all, DUI is one of the costliest
crimes around, and even worse, it is easily one of the most common crimes an
individual is arrested for in the United States, as noted by the
NHTSA, which states that one in one-hundred-forty licensed drivers will be
arrested for DUI in a given year.